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Planning and International Cooperation Minister Jafar Hassan (right) shakes hands with US Ambassador to Jordan Stuart Jones on Tuesday after signing a $100 million grant agreement (Photo courtesy of Ministry of Planning)

Planning and International Cooperation Minister Jafar Hassan on Tuesday signed a $100 million grant agreement with US Ambassador to Jordan Stuart Jones and USAID Mission Director Beth Paige.

The additional grant, which was announced earlier this year, will support the state budget and help the Kingdom address its fiscal difficulties, particularly in light of the regional unrest, according to a press statement made available to The Jordan Times. During the signing ceremony, Hassan said the grant will contribute to improving the government’s capabilities in overcoming challenges arising in the fields of water, education, health and energy, in addition to alleviating the financial burden from hosting thousands of Syrian refugees in the Kingdom and enable the government to continue its humanitarian services to them. The special economic assistance was announced at a press conference held in Amman on Sunday by Hassan and Jones.

Regarding the regular economic aid programme, worth $360 million, he said that Jordan and the US will sign the agreement this month. The US will also provide Jordan with 50,000 tonnes of wheat valued at $17 million as part of the US Food for Progress programme, the minister indicated, noting that the revenues from selling the wheat will be used to fund projects outlined in the budget. “The total US economic support to Jordan during 2012 will reach around $477 million, $284 million of which will directly support the state budget,” Hassan said.